


Business Proposals

by timahina



Series: ZarcRay Week 2018 [6]
Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M, ZarcRay Week
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-23
Updated: 2018-03-25
Packaged: 2019-04-06 22:37:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,784
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14067090
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/timahina/pseuds/timahina
Summary: Zarc had reached a desperate low point of his life when a young teen offers a way out with the strangest solution.





	1. Chapter 1

The pile of bills on his kitchen table was nothing but driving the stake further into his chest. Every day was another struggle to wake up and worse yet, the end of the month was coming up and he barely had the funds for rent. If Zarc didn’t get rent money within the next week – he’d be living in the streets. He had fallen between jobs and it had taken longer than he thought to get back on his feet.

He had yet to actually… get that done.

There was only a week before he had to admit defeat and call his parents, _again_ and asked for money to help him out. And he’d have to hear another lecture about how he’s going down the wrong path and should rethink what he wants to do and instead just come on home and work in the family business. Zarc would rather die than sit through another painful speech.

Hell, he’d rather die than look and sort through the bills and see his pathetic bank statement. He didn’t want to go home yet, just continue walking around the city and pretend that his problems weren’t real just for a little while longer. Reality was a harder pill to swallow than he thought.

Zarc leaned against a pole, staring down at his feet and sighed heavily.

There wasn’t going to be a magic solution that solved his dilemma. The most he could hope for was finding money on the street but not even a big amount. Just a few bills even. Zarc ran his hand up through his hair, his heart still wildly beating. Was it possible to have a heart attack at such a young age? He hoped so. Loans were forgiven due to death and he’d be free from obligations about money and rent and whatnot. Worse yet, his stomach started grumbling.

Of course he needed food, that was the cherry on top of the mess. Broke and starving and on the verge of being homeless. What did people normally do in this situation aside from killing themselves?

A car honk broke him out of his thoughts as he saw a dark car on the other side of the street and a barely-dressed woman approaching it. It wouldn’t have fazed him to watch her get into the car but then he noticed the neighborhood he was in. this wasn’t exactly the best side of town. No, he had wandered off in the middle of hooker lane. And he was right there, just… standing, as though he were waiting for someone to approach him.

Actually, that didn’t sound like a bad idea. Sex for money? Sure, there was a part of him that should be repulsed but he was desperate for money and why not use every skill he possibly had. He had been told multiple times that he was good-looking, and this was just… putting his good looks to practical use. Zarc swallowed thickly, a slow sinking feeling consuming him.

“Hey, what’s your rate?” Someone approached him and immediately, Zarc froze. His rate? Wasn’t there supposed to be a set price to any of this? Did he classify himself as expensive or cheap or was there some sort of ranking system? And the thought of actually selling himself, a stranger touching him and doing whatever they wanted to him. He suddenly remembered every single cop drama he ever watched.

“No, uh, sorry.” Zarc waved his hands at the guy and kept walking. He would kick himself for this later but for now, he needed to get back home and think long and hard about selling himself for an exuberate amount of money. Not as though he was in any position to refuse but…!

Zarc’s arm was suddenly grabbed, stopping him from going any further “What’s the rush? Why not stay and get a good time?”

His eye twitched. There was nothing this guy could possibly offer him in terms of a good time except literally handing over all the money in his wallet and then proceeding to walk in front of a moving car. “Let me go or the only _good time_ you’ll have is in a hospital bed.”

The man’s grip tightened and Zarc grimaced. This was a completely bad idea and he wasn’t sure if he could afford bail when he killed this guy. He sighed heavily and balled his hand into a fist, ready to start shit until he saw someone else come up behind the man and pulled him away.

“Find your own company, I’ve already paid for this one.”

He looked young… just a kid.

Now he felt even worse as he watched the man shrug and walk away. The newcomer looked at Zarc, giving him a soft smile. “You’ve wandered off, haven’t you?”

Zarc huffed. “I had it handled.”

“That’s your interpretation.”

Zarc examined the kid and realized he wasn’t the only one who had wandered off, so to speak. He was dressed casually with an unusually long red scarf – it wasn’t even that cold out. Judging from his stance and mannerisms, he was probably from the rich side of town. Which meant…!

“Oh?” A grin worked on his face as he inched closer to the kid. “You want _thanks_ , then?” Zarc cupped the kid’s chin, closing his eyes as he leaned in slightly for a kiss until he felt paper against his lips.

_What the…?_

“I did promise payment, didn’t I?”

Zarc opened his eyes, seeing the kid hold up a large wad of cash between their faces and that’s currently what Zarc was kissing. It wasn’t the worst thing to have to his mouth and honestly, it was the sexiest thing he had see as well as a big surprise.

What was this kid’s aim?

“Oh good, I got your attention.” The kid waved his arm, moving Zarc’s hand away from his face and kept a firm hold on the cash. “You’re not the easiest to find, Zarc.” He was suddenly snapped back to reality. This kid knew his name?! “I should’ve strolled the prostitute walks sooner if I knew this was where you spent your nights.”

“… I’m not a prostit-”

“I really don’t care one way or another. If anything, you selling your body makes my proposition much easier for me.”

What the hell was this kid taking about?

He extended his hand toward him. “My name is Akaba Reiji and I want to buy you for my sister.”


	2. Chapter 2

Reiji looked around the apartment, scrutinizing everything he saw. From what little he knew of Zarc, this rundown living space fit him well. Dark and cheap and a cesspool of filth. He took a seat at the table and moved around a pile of papers, noticing how many of those were bills stamped with **_final notice_** in large, red print. This was almost a stroke of luck all in Reiji’s favor.

“So uh… did you want some beer or…?”

“I’m underage.” His reply was quick and apathetic, not in the mood of trying to break the imaginary ice over alcohol.

Zarc sighed heavily, staring back at his fridge and grabbing a beer can anyways. He’d need the alcohol tonight. It wasn’t every day that some rich kid offered to buy him. The only reason they came back to his apartment was to smooth over the details and try to like… explain the situation. Plus, it wasn’t the safest thing for Reiji to be holding around giant wads of cash in the area they were in.

Not that he looked like he cared though. He seemed so nonchalant about such a thing.

Zarc sat down across the table from him, opening the beer can and taking a large swig from it. Just because the kid couldn’t drink, doesn’t mean he was going to stop himself. “Ok, shoot, Mr. Underage Kid.”

“You’re in no position to patronize me, Zarc.”

Another swig of beer, chugging as much as he could. There was something familiar about this kid – maybe it was his eyes or the structure of his face or his condescending attitude. But he didn’t care. That wasn’t the problem nor did it particularly matter for this situation. “See – you keep acting like you know so much of me when all I’m seeing is a creepy, stalker child. And I’m not a babysitter for anyone. So if you’re not gonna drink my crappy beer, then hurry up and explain what you want so I can dramatically kick you out.”

He was tired of the silence and the cryptid offer this kid had. But he didn’t have time to listen to some bratty kid. Especially for something as ridiculous sounding as _buying_ him. What kind of brother bought a person for his sister? The hell was wrong with him… Reiji kept his poker face, merely keeping his eyes fixated on Zarc. It was almost like he was looking past him, constructing the entire conversation they were about to have and playing it in his head. “I want to buy you for my sister.”

“Yea, you said that. _Elaborate_.” He was nothing if not annoyed and depending on the price he offered, he might be insulted.

“What more information is needed? You’re a single, jobless, broke loser-”

“ _Really_ putting on the charm there, ain’t ya?”

“-and I’m offering to pay you for a service. I expected a negotiation over money, not the insignificant details.”

Zarc could give him this, he _definitely_ had a way of making this sound like a trivial matter. He sighed, taking another large gulp of the beer. He was going to need more of this and maybe take out the entire six pack or something stronger. Zarc wanted to be angry and kick him out. He was better than to sell himself over to a rich kid who was probably getting his rocks off watching him squirm. As much as Zarc wanted to refuse already – he couldn’t. He was so desperate, and rent was coming up. Truth be told, this was almost like a gift from the heavens. If there was a price negotiation, then maybe he’d have some sort advantage here.

This kid, Reiji had followed after him and if he knew his situation, then he must’ve wanted him specifically. He was the first choice for this, whatever it was. “… you want me to… do what exactly?” Maybe he was just supposed to take her out on a date at best or worst, have to sleep with her. But this kid couldn’t be _that_ extreme.

It was a bit of a smile on his face – like there was a level of cooperation.

“Marry her.”

He shouldn’t have thought that someone propositioning to buy him wouldn’t be extreme. It was worse than he thought, and it left him stunned for a few short moments. “… I don’t even have a _job_ , kid. What makes you think I can support a wife?”

Reiji snickered. “You? Support my sister?” It was difficult for him to sustain his laughter and Zarc grimaced, crushing the beer can in his hand – wishing that the can was the rich kid’s head.

He wanted him to shut up. “How long I gotta be married to her?”

Reiji only smiled. There was something cold and cunning about it. “That’s not my concern. You can divorce her as soon as the check clears.”

“… and she’s not a younger sister, right? I don’t wanna marry no kid.” Reiji furrowed his brows, almost not expecting that question before nodding in affirmation. Zarc threw aside the beer can, contemplating the situation. All he had to do was marry some woman and get rich doing so. She must’ve been some kind of horrid person, either inside or out or _both_ even if the younger brother had to go and get a guy down on his luck.

Zarc sighed, not really seeing the downside to this. That or he was putting up some massive blinders.

“I can at least meet her, right?”

“Oh, I was hoping for that.” He handed Zarc a clunky envelope. “Enjoy. And please… try to clean up.”

 _Brat_.

He watched Reiji get up and briskly leave the apartment. There was no point to linger or judge, just hearing the door open and shut. Zarc opened up the envelope, only seeing a hotel key card and some cash with a note.

**_You’ll find the check in this room – use this money for dinner._ **

\---

Zarc sat in a hotel restaurant, staring at his phone to watch the time go by. He’d been sitting there for about fifteen minutes, waiting for this mystery woman to approach his table so he could finally introduce himself to his future bride. He was starting to get paranoid about it. Every woman that walked by made his heart race, questions overflowing in his mind, but they never made eye contact with him or approached him.

It wasn’t as though he really wanted to marry her. Not exactly a dream come true to have been bought like a pet. He took a deep breath, calling a waiter over. “Actually, I will take that offer of wine.” Beer earlier, wine right now. Before the night was over, he’d make sure to head on over to the bar and make a tour of all the alcohol there.

This was such a mistake. He never should’ve accepted Akaba Reiji’s offer to marry his sister. What kind of kid…?

Wait…!

Akaba Reiji… _Akaba_ , that name was familiar. The way he stared at him, the posture and the eyes. His deep violet eyes and the structure of his face. It was all starting to come together, why he had looked familiar. It wasn’t as though he met him perse, but he’d met a relative of his.

Was…was that sister…

“Well, look at what the cat dragged in.”

Zarc froze, recognizing that tone and voice. He gulped, feeling his ears grow warm and probably turning red at the tips. He slowly tipped his head up, his gold eyes widening at the sight. The tall woman in a small pastel dress and a wonderful, beautiful smirk across her lips.

No wonder Reiji looked familiar. He resembled this woman, his… older sister. And that’s what terrified Zarc the most.

He’d just agreed to marry his ex-girlfriend.

“Hey, Ray…”

He wanted to die.


	3. Chapter 3

Ray didn’t really understand why Reiji had barged into her office so early in the day and laid out a freshly pressed, laundered dress across her desk. He didn’t normally do something so brash and upfront when needing a favor from her. Of course, Ray had tried to kick him out – tell him to knock first and that he needed an appointment before strutting into her office like he owned the place. She was always fighting back against his requests, if she could even call them that since they were becoming more and more like demands.

Unfortunately for her, Reiji and she were cut from the same cloth and they were a stubborn sort of family. It was practically mixed into their DNA. Reiji ignored her protests, telling her how urgent this matter was. All he said to her was the place she needed to be at and how it was a business proposal of a grand magnitude to fix the dilemma she found herself in.

She thought that maybe he or their father screwed up some kind of merger and a woman’s touch was necessary to smooth things over. Or that they had all decided on a hot date for her so she could settle down since their parents were less than subtle about that kind of thing lately. There were a number of things she could’ve thought or have preferred this dinner to be.

Running into her ex-boyfriend was not one she could ever imagine. It wasn’t even on the top one hundred.

And yet, there he was. Sitting at a table in a nice restaurant wearing a suit and looking… rather shocked. Mortified even. As though he would rather see a debt collector ready to drain his life blood than her. Ray could almost feel herself sink into the floor. It wasn’t as though she was totally excited to see him…

“Wha… whaddya d-doing here?” Zarc stuttered out, his eyes finally going back into focus and the tips of his ears reddened from surprise and embarrassment.

That was more of the Zarc she knew.

Ray sat down on the other side of the empty table, her smile practically lighting up the room as she brushed her bangs in a nervous gesture. And here Zarc though he was over the little things Ray did that made him chuckle. “Well, I have a date.”

“… ya don’t say?” Luckily for him, the waiter came back with the wine – pouring a glass for him and Ray as well. He definitely needed the alcohol and was more than thankful that the waiter had left the wine bottle on the table, so he could refill at will. Hell, he was ready to ditch the glass and just chug down the bottle.

Ray nodded, lifting her glass and taking a slow sip – her eyes never straying from Zarc and studying how off he seemed. “Yup. Got a bit of a blind date with a dream boat who in any minute will come in and sweep me off my feet. So in the meantime, you’ll keep me company.”

There was the Ray he knew. Taking pot shots where she could and aiming below the belt. He had no doubt she probably did have dates with numerous _dreamboats_ who swept her off her feet since their breakup and there she was rubbing it in his face. The ironic part is that he was the dreamboat for the evening. And from the looks of things, she hadn’t a clue. Meaning… meaning he still had time to at least talk to her.

He couldn’t get mad at her for that cheap shot.

“I’ll take what I can.”

Suddenly, her phone vibrated, and she sighed, pulling it out and groaned. “Ugh, be grateful you’re an only child.”

“… your brother?”

“You remembered that?” She sounded shocked, her smile soft as though she were impressed. Zarc didn’t want to inform her how he knew this and instead, watched her nod and turn her phone on silent. “Yes, my little brother. He’s gotten annoying lately.”

“What’s he done?”

“Oh just… the usual stuff.”

Zarc couldn’t remember for the life of him what ‘the usual stuff’ was. He could’ve sworn she complained about him before when they were dating before but there was nothing really coming to mind. Though from his short interactions with him… he could believe this kid was capable of some kind of evil. Why did he buy him? Or even hunt him down? He definitely knew who he was when he found him strolling the hooker walks, but why did he want him with Ray?

Did… did _she_ want him?

Was this on her request?

His heart nearly skipped a beat at the thought.

“My sympathies, Ray.” Zarc’s fingers twitched momentarily – was it a right moment to reach across the table and take hold of her hand? No, that was probably too dramatic. He withdrew his hands from the table, simply taking his wine glass and taking a sip. “Sibling drama is hard enough, I can’t imagine _Akaba_ sibling drama.”

Her eyebrows furrowed.

_Shit._

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

Zarc blinked, suddenly at a loss for words. Simply coming out and saying that she was overdramatic so therefore, so was her brother and the rest of her family. And normal sibling spats were probably overblown to disastrous proportions. He didn’t really think this through and worse yet, he didn’t have a good enough lie to cover it up. She always knew when he was lying too…

His phone rang.

That startled him, and he pulled it out instantly – a number he didn’t recognize. That wasn’t what startled him. Zarc didn’t pay the phone bill so it shouldn’t be working and the fact that it was ringing at all… _how_?

“Uh… I gotta take this real quick.” Zarc moved abruptly from the table, just staring at his vibrating phone as he went over to the bathroom area and answered the phone at last. “Hello…?” His voice was filled with hesitation, maybe a wrong number?

“ _Be nice to her- you’re hardly being attentive._ ”

Zarc nearly dropped the phone. That voice… was that Reiji? How the hell… how did he…?

“How’d you get this number?”

“ _Please don’t focus on the small details._ ” He held out his arm, staring at his phone in bewilderment. Zarc should’ve called them dramatic when he was in front of Ray, it definitely fit them. Hell, it was an understatement. “ _Why aren’t you romancing her? Bad talking me isn’t going to get on her good side – how did you date her for longer than five minutes?_ ”

This kid was grating on his nerves.

Zarc put the phone back against his ear, his other hand dragging down his face in exasperation. “Kid... we broke up for a reason.”

“ _No,_ you _broke up with_ her _. I distinctly recall her heartbreak._ ” He gulped, suddenly a large lump had lodged itself in his throat. Zarc heard a sigh on the other end. “ _Listen, be kind to her. Remind her what she ever saw in you._ ”

Zarc snorted – he was certain he wouldn’t be allowed to bend her over the table, especially in a public high-class place. “I’ll try, kid.” He didn’t give him the chance to give him more advice, simply hanging up the phone and putting it away in his pocket. He needed a moment and so he went to the bathroom, to calm his nerves. Zarc leaned over a sink, taking a deep breath and turning it on, splashing some water on his face. This was really happening.

He wasn’t in his room, waking up from an elaborate nightmare. No, instead he was holding himself up in the men’s bathroom of a fancy restaurant with his ex-girlfriend waiting for him. And he needed to propose to her by the night’s end. She wanted someone to sweep her of her feet and he knew how to do that… he used to be able to do it just fine.

Zarc took a deep breath and took a paper towel to wipe his face. He could get through this. Ray didn’t know that he was her mystery date – this could ultimately work to his advantage. He could make her forget all about her supposed dream date and have her fall back into his arms. He needed to stop questioning why Reiji had bought him or why he was basically setting him back up with his sister if he recalled her heartbreak.

He thought it was a mutual breakup too, ending on good terms…

That was something he needed to ask her, Zarc made up his mind as he left the bathroom. A shot of confidence surging through his veins, his eyes focusing on Ray as he made his way back to the table and sat down.

Zarc flashed her his cocky, signature smile. “So…-”

“Let’s go upstairs.”

… he knew his smile had charming features had some kind of power, but he didn’t think they were so strong that he could seduce her so quickly. There was something she wanted. It was probably to talk to him in private though whether that was a good or bad talk was the question. But like hell he was going to argue with her, not when she was the one who suggested it. He’d make sure she remembered that if things went well.

Ray slammed down a few large bills for the wine which Zarc was thankful for. Now there was slightly more money he could keep if this didn’t go well. Zarc followed after her, grabbing the wine bottle as Ray took his hand – guiding him away from the table. There was an urge to pull her closer, something reminiscent of old times. How bold she used to be toward him and the flirty smile she would give him, like how she was doing now as she directed him to the elevator.

He was trying to remember… exactly why they broke up.

It was a hazy memory or so many years ago. He thought that they just naturally grew apart. And that’s what people did when they grew apart, just… break up before it got worse. As the elevator doors closed and he pressed , all he could remember was how fruity her hair smelled. Citrus oils were something he got used to and as Zarc inched closer, his hand moving out of her grip and around her waist.

There was something… something intoxicating about being around her again.

The smell of her hair… the shine of her eyes… the way her hand felt pressed against his chest to stop him going too far. “Not… not yet.” Her eyes were glistening, pulling him in and it was like she was speaking volumes how much she missed him. How he felt the slight tremor of her hand – Zarc had forgotten so much of her hesitation.

Why did he… _they_ break up?

It was _them_ , right?

He couldn’t remember, not well.

The elevator dinged – they arrived on the floor. Somehow, Zarc wanted to press the emergency button and have the doors shut – trapping them in the elevator. The moment felt right but he was already too late, as someone else was coming in and they were leaving the elevator, making their way down the hallway instead. The room was somewhere…!

_Ah-ha!_

He wanted to look suave and cool, taking out the key card and opening the door. “Ladies first.”

She walked passed him and he was already taken in by the way she walked, the movement of her hips. He was… trying to remember. What the drift was. Where it had begun. Why…?

The moment he closed the door behind him and locked it, Ray immediately threw down her bag and picked up a random vase – throwing it at him. It barely missed him, he was fast enough to dodge and the vase shattered on the door.

Oh. Right. It was becoming clear.

“What the hell was that for?!”

“Use your fucking brain, Zarc!” Ray was maintaining a strong stance, her legs apart and her hands grasping and clenching at her side. It was like she was desperate to stop her hands from reaching for his neck.

“I didn’t even touch you!” Zarc was staying at the wall, inching his way to another room – he had to keep his eye on her. He forgot her anger was a force. “You were the one that asked to come up here!”

She laughed, her laugh almost sounding forced.

“Who told you to come here? Why are you here?!” His heart stopped, watching her eyes glisten. He realized what it was as the tears flowed down her rosy cheeks. “It _figures_ Reiji would be horrendous enough to come up with something idiotic like get some random guy to whisk me away – no, that _sounds_ like something he’d do. Even trying to convince my old boyfriend, _that_ ’s expected.”

“Ray, I-”

“But!” She interrupted, putting her hand up. “But the kicker in this! Oh no, it’s _you_ , Zarc! You…” Her voice was still angry but her tone… her tone sounded small and her posture seemed defeated as she walked backwards, stumbling onto a couch and covering her face with her hands, barely suppressing the sobs.

Entering that restaurant after Reiji told her it was the solution to her problem; the problem being an arranged marriage to the heir of another company, for the strength of LDS. And she walked into the restaurant, seeing Zarc almost like a shining light in the darkness. It was like fate seeing him there. He hadn’t told her what he was doing there, and she wanted to believe that it was a coincidence. A wonderful, beautiful coincidence.

But him leaving after Reiji had called her and his attitude change… no, even him being there. Reiji hadn’t told her what this solution was or who she was meeting. She went in blind. There were no coincidences and it was all orchestrated by a grand puppet master.

“J-Just…” Her voice was shaking along with the rest of her body.

Zarc merely watched her practically had a meltdown and he didn’t understand. How much had she figured out? And what did she think? He was careful in approaching her, each step so deliberate and quiet as not to overwhelm or frighten her. He didn’t like watching her like this, needing – no, _wanting_ to help her. To cheer her up and make her smile and laugh. He needed to step forward and take a risk.

Zarc bent down to his knees, careful not to reach forward and grasp onto her knee to try and keep her grounded. “Ray…” His voice was soft, trying to soothe her. “I wasn’t trying to hurt you… to be honest, I didn’t even know it was you.”

This was a disaster, he could admit that.

Her body was still shaking but her sobs had quieted.

Zarc needed to continue, to try and… try and explain. “Some kid approached me earlier and offered me a shit ton of money, to buy me for his sister for marriage. I thought… I don’t know what I thought. All I saw was a way out of being homeless. If I knew he was _your_ brother,” Zarc reached his hands out, slowly and gingerly taking hold of her wrists to try and free her face. He wanted to be nothing if not sincere. Especially to her. “Ray, I wouldn’t have accepted. Not because you’re not worth it but because…” He didn’t need to be paid to want to be with her – but that was something he couldn’t say, the disconnect between his brain and his tongue.

“… you’re homeless?” It was amazing to him how that was the detail she grasped onto. And she even sounded worried for him. Like he was the one falling apart into pieces rather than her. “Why didn’t you contact me? I would’ve… I would’ve helped you.”

“Ray, that’s not the point.”

“No, but…”

“Look, I’m not going to through with what he wanted from me.” He couldn’t possibly ask Ray to marry him – not in this condition. But she cared for him, that much was evident. The fact that she fell apart the way she did… “I’m not gonna try to seduce you or romance you on his whim… but he sought _me_ out for a reason, Ray. So… I mean, if there’s anything you want to tell me…”

She scoffed. “You’re not special. He was…” Ray sniffled and Zarc took that as a hint to let go of her hand and reach over to grab the box of tissues. It took her no time to take a few, wiping her eyes and nose. “Oddly enough, _helping_. I’m… god, I can’t believe I’m telling you, I’m sorta engaged.”

_What?_

His face betrayed him, wanting to remain neutral but instead he looked annoyed.

“Yea, engaged to some… spoiled, prissy brat. And I guess you’re supposed to be his solution to me getting out of that. Wow!” Ray laughed again, it was just as forced as before. “He picks the guy that stomped all over my heart because _he_ got bored of our relationship-”

“Bored? Is… is that what you think?”

She nodded. “Isn’t that… isn’t what why you broke up with me?”

He couldn’t remember.

Zarc was never bored with her or their relationship or anything of the sort. He needed to rectify that immediately, getting up from his knees and sitting next to her on the couch – making sure her hand was still grasped tightly in his. What he could remember, Zarc felt safe and warm by her. “No, I… I was never bored of you. I loved you. I… I _still_ love you.”

Fear had filled him. That was it. The fear of going farther than what he was comfortable with. Going from a fun and casual dating experience to something life-fulfilling… he didn’t want to end it.

“You still… _what_?”

“I still love you Ray and… I can’t say that I want to get back together and pick up where we left off, that’s not… realistic.” A nervous chuckle – as much as he would love that. But he couldn’t force himself. Or her for that matter. He didn’t want to be used as a last resort for her to escape one loveless marriage and into one filled with uncertainty. As much as he would help her – just as she just offered to help him… He could laugh; they weren’t over each other. “Do you… I mean…?”

Ray could feel her body go at ease, at least slightly less shaky than moments ago. Zarc’s sudden confession to her was amazing, one she had been waiting so long to hear. He was still hung up on her. “I have half a pound of make-up down my face thinking my ex needed to be _bribed_ to meet me – how do you think I feel about you?”

There was a slight hope there and his heart skipped a beat. “… I was sorta bri-”

“Stop talking, you’ll make me throw another vase.”

He believed it, with how good her aim was.

They were silent for a few moments, Ray simply wiping her eyes and nose and Zarc just handing her tissues as she tossed the used-up ones on the floor. It was strange; her eyes were puffy and tired and her face in an odd state of undress with the make-up in shambles and yet he was falling for her charms all over again. There was no reason he had to fear. She wasn’t rejecting him, more so wanting him to take the chance of the missed opportunity from before. “If… if I promise not to marry you or ask today and you promise to take the money that’s in the next room with you… maybe we could-!” Zarc didn’t have time to finish his sentence, not when Ray had moved forward so fast, the sudden force of her body against his and her lips on his own.

He fell back, her body on top of him and all he could think about was how much he missed this.

How her small her moans were as her hands worked into his hair and his hands held tightly onto her waist, trying to keep her to him. He didn’t want to let her go. She didn’t want to be let go. A simultaneous thought ran through their minds.

Maybe they could start over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And there ends ZarcRay Week! I did my best to churn out a mini-fic on short notice and now I know whether or not I can do it lol Thanks again!


End file.
